Paul Youngman Named Dean of the College at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University has named Paul Youngman as dean of the College following a competitive national search. Youngman, associate provost for academic development and operations and professor of German at W&L, has been serving as interim dean of the College since July 1, 2025.
W&L Provost Lena Hill announced Youngman’s appointment, which is effective December 1.
“Paul will be an excellent permanent dean of the College,” said Hill. “His dedication to W&L and investment in our mission centers his leadership compass. He rose to the top of an impressive candidate pool, and the search process revealed how deeply his work is admired and appreciated. His colleagues praise his breadth of experience, work ethic, strong communication and listening skills, collaborative spirit, trustworthiness, good humor and warmth, efficient workstyle, and genuine care for faculty, staff, and students. I could not agree more with these sentiments. We are fortunate Paul is willing to accept this appointment at such an important moment for the College.”
At W&L, the dean of the College has responsibility for 21 departments and 13 interdisciplinary programs. The dean serves as chair of the Committee on Courses and Degrees and belongs to the Faculty Executive Committee. Reporting to the provost, the dean serves on the provost’s Academic Council as well as the President’s Council.
During his tenure as interim dean, Youngman has been instrumental in the creation of the Hal and Barbra Higginbotham Endowment for the Arts and Humanities, a discretionary fund to invest in creative projects to bolster student interest and enrollment in W&L’s arts and humanities programs. He has also established two faculty committees to assist with the planning and design of Washington and Lee’s science center renovation and expansion and is leading a feasibility study for the accreditation of its undergraduate engineering program. He will continue to lead these strategic efforts moving forward.
“This is an exciting time to be leading the College, with meaningful work underway to enhance our programs and facilities across the arts, sciences and humanities,” Youngman said. “As critical as that work is, I see my most important role as providing robust advocacy for the liberal arts and for W&L. I believe in our mission, with honor, integrity, and civility as our most distinctive features, and I believe in the power of the liberal arts to produce adaptable and curious critical thinkers — traits that serve our students well in this current professional and technological landscape.”
As associate provost, Youngman served as a member of the provost’s leadership team, supporting student research and development opportunities in the College and the Williams School. His responsibilities included oversight of the Center for International Education, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Fellowships and Student Summer Research, and managing budgets and space allocation for the university. He directed academic advising, supervised student research opportunities, oversaw faculty awards, and served as the primary liaison for research compliance and strategic initiatives. He also served as chair of the university’s Covid-19 Committee from 2020-2022.
A 1987 graduate of Washington and Lee, Youngman joined the university’s faculty as an associate professor of German in 2012 and was named a full professor in 2014. He chaired the department of German, Russian and Arabic from 2014 until being named associate provost in 2018. A strong advocate for the digital humanities, he was the founding chair of W&L’s Digital Humanities Working Group and chaired the Digital Humanities Committee since 2014-2017.
Prior to joining Washington and Lee, he held various teaching and administrative roles at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Youngman’s research focuses on the German cultural reception of various technologies. Black Devil and Iron Angel (Catholic University Press, 2005) deals with the railway in 19th-century Germany and We are the Machine (Camden House, 2009) is an analysis of the literary reception of computing and the internet in contemporary Germany. He has also published widely on Nanoscience and technology. His other book publication, Complexity and the Human Experience (Pan Stanford, 2014), is an edited volume featuring computer modeling applications in the humanities and social sciences.
He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a holder of the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor in a combat zone.
“I am thrilled that Paul Youngman has agreed to continue as dean of the College in a permanent capacity,” said W&L President Will Dudley. “Paul brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and perspective to this role as a W&L professor, administrator, alumnus and parent. He is deeply committed to our liberal arts mission, a strong advocate for our faculty, and an able administrator who will champion the value of the liberal arts while advancing important strategic priorities for the College. I’m grateful for his leadership and look forward to our continued collaboration on behalf of Washington and Lee.”
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